[s-cars] Galled First Gears???

[Charlie Smith]

Earlier, Tim Radbourne wrote:
>
> I have just joined the group.  Purchased a 93 S4 with 140K.  Has one
> problem that I wasn't too worried about when I bought it, but am more
> worried now.  It has a noise/growl when accelerating in first gear.
> Otherwise the tranny sounds fine.  I am wondering if this is the galled
> first gear problem discussed here?

There are two different problems that have been more than occasional
with the 01E 5 speed transmissions in the UrS4/S6 cars.  These are:

  A)  '92 and some '93's had pinion gear bearing problems.  I've not
      had this happen to an Audi so no 1st hand listening on this.
      It should be a whine that varies with road speed, in othere words
      it will sound the same at 30 MPH in 1st as it does in 2nd gear.

  B)  1st gear becomes galled on one or more teeth on the main shaft.
      There are pictures of a failed 1st gear in the middle of this page:
        http://www.elektro.com/~audi/01E/ind5.html

      This will sound like a kid's bike with playing cards sticking into
      the spokes.  A definite clicking noise that gets faster as you pick
      up speed in 1st gear.  You probably can't hear it in any gear other
      than 1st, and you will probably only hear it when accelerating.
      To hear this more clearly when it's faint, roll the windows down
      and drive next to a solid wall of a building or something.
>
> Can I drive it like this?
> For how long?

For either problem, you can drive it until it gets so noisy you can't
stand it.  Driving with a failing pinion gear bearing will also ruin the
front ring and pinion gears, and may mess up the teeth on 4th if it's
really bad and you drive in 4th a lot.  Driving with a galling 1st gear
will get noisier and noisier when you are driving off in 1st.  Eventually
the metal particles from either problem will affect other bearings in the
transmission.

> Is there anything I can do without pulling the tranny?  (Should I do a
> tranmission oil change and oil analysis?)

You can't do anything with either without taking the transmission apart.
Changing the oil won't make it better, but clean oil will help keep
metal particles from going through other parts of the transmission.

This is the Audi God's way of telling you it's time for a 6 speed upgrade
    :-)

    - Charlie


  Charlie Smith   charlie at elektro.cmhnet.org  614-471-1418
  http://www.elektro.com/~charlie      Columbus Ohio   USA
  http://www.elektro.com/~audi     photos & technical info

  95 S6 Quattro  -  24 PSI, RS2 6 speed, and other features
  97 Dodge Ram   -  40 PSI, 4x4 w/Cummins turbo diesel